Frank Sinatra Had Nothing But Hatred For The Greatest Gangster Story Ever Made

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Francis Ford Coppola was nearly fired during production of "The Godfather" due to his contentious relationship with producer Bob Evans. What the director couldn't have anticipated, however, is that he'd also stoke the ire of one of the great musical artists of the 20th Century. It seems Frank Sinatra wasn't a fan of Coppola's film, or the 1969 Mario Puzo novel on which it was based. Why? Well, mostly because the character of Johnny Fontane seemed to be an avatar for the singer, depicting him as someone with significant mob ties who indulged in some shady Hollywood dealings.

The legendary crooner was well-known to have been affiliated with organized crime groups in what was one of the great ironies of a man known for his sensitive renditions of such beloved standards as "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning" and "One for My Baby." He also delivered one of the all-time great acting performances by musicians in 1953's "From Here to Eternity." But just because Sinatra was an artist, doesn't mean he didn't have a dark side. In fact, his casting in "From Here to Eternity" was allegedly one example of that dark side manifesting in his show business career, and ultimately one of the reasons Ol' Blue Eyes wasn't a fan of either Puzo's book or Coppola's adaptation.

Sinatra always played down his connection to organized crime, but as revealed in his extensive FBI file — which covers 40 years of surveillance — he was at least friends with multiple high-ranking members. As noted by History.com, that file includes accounts of "a Godfather-style appearance" at the wedding of Jean Bruno, daughter of Philadelphia mob boss Angelo Bruno. But just because he was friends with mobsters, doesn't mean Sinatra liked advertising it.

In his 1972 essay "The Making of the Godfather," Mario Puzo recounted how his publishers received a letter from Frank Sinatra's lawyers prior to the original novel's release. The attorneys were demanding to see a manuscript. As Puzo put it, Johnny Fontane had been "assumed by many people to be based on Frank Sinatra," and it seems word had gotten back to the Chairman of the Board. Nevertheless, Puzo and his publishers responded with a polite refusal. When news emerged that the book was being adapted into a movie, however, Sinatra became even more persistent.

Puzo claimed to have originally written Fontane "with complete sympathy for the man and his life-style and his hang-ups." Evidently, Sinatra didn't agree. During an infamous clash at legendary West Hollywood restaurant Chasen's, the singer let Puzo know how he felt in a moment that was captured in the limited series "The Offer." "Sinatra started to shout abuse," recalled Puzo. "I remember that, contrary to his reputation, he did not use foul language at all. The worst thing he called me was a pimp." In the author's recollection, Sinatra also threatened to "beat hell out of" Puzo had he been younger.

This wasn't the only trouble Sinatra caused, either. Singer Al Martino, who played Fontane in "The Godfather," spoke to author Mark Seal for the book "Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli: The Epic Story of the Making of The Godfather" (via USA Today). He recalled how Sinatra's displeasure loomed large over production. "If you take the role, Sinatra will bar you from Las Vegas," Martino was warned. "I'm the last guy you could threaten. I got hard-nosed about it. I took the bull by the horns!"

As Francis Ford Coppola told USA Today, when he ran into Frank Sinatra, the singer was a lot more jovial than he'd been with Mario Puzo. "He sort of jokingly said, 'Why don't we buy this (movie) from Paramount and I'll play the godfather,'" recalled Coppola. It may have been a joke, but was clearly animated by Sinatra's dislike for Puzo's original vision.

In the film, Al Martino's Johnny Fontane is significant for not only being a famous singer but also the godson of Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando). After his career starts to take a downward slide, Fontane visits his godfather and asks for help being cast in a major feature. The mob boss obliges, threatening the head of the studio producing the film, Jack Woltz (John Marley) and, in one of the most memorable scenes from "The Godfather," leaving the severed head of Woltz's own horse in his bed.

According to Hollywood legend, this scene from "The Godfather" was inspired by a rumour about "From Here to Eternity," the film in which Sinatra played Private Maggio, a role that won him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. That triumph was somewhat sullied by the rumor that the singer used his mob connections to land the role in the first place. With its Johnny Fontane storyline, "The Godfather" seemed to back up those claims, and that didn't go over well with the man himself.

Things were only made worse by the fact that Sinatra had previously worked with Brando on "Guys and Dolls" and made the whole thing a slog for the actor. Their relationship was tumultuous to say the least. With all that in mind, it's no surprise Sinatra wasn't a fan of "The Godfather."